Cooling tower spray nozzle



Oct. i3, E970 COOLING TGWER SPRAY NOZIZLE Filed Feb. l2, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 GEORGE W MEEK Oct. 13, 1970 G. w. MEEK l COOLING TOWER SPRAY NOZZLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. l2, ,1968

y /N VENTO/a G50/e GE w M55/c Oct. 13, 1970 G. w. MEEK 3,533,560

COOLING TOWER SPRAY NOZZLE Filed Feb. l2, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 /fvvENTo/Q @53565 W MEEK Maw A TTC/2N y @CL 13, 97() G, W, MEEK 3,533,560

COOLING TOWER SPRAY NOZZLE Filed Feb. l2, 1968 4 Sheets--Sheec A F GEORGE nf MEE/c f l Br` United States Patent O 3,533,560 COOLING TOWER SPRAY NOZZLE George W. Meek, Fort Myers, Fla., assignor to Carl Munters and Company, Fack, Sollentuna, Sweden, a partnership of Sweden Filed Feb. 12, 1968, Ser. No. 704,690 Int. Cl. B05b 1/34 U.S. Cl. 239-489 11 Claims ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to an improved liquid spray nozzle for use with a gas and liquid contact apparatus, typically a water cooling system wherein a spray of water is distributed over the top of a foraminous body flowing relatively downward therethrough to be cooled by contact with a cross or countercurrent flow of gas, such as air; and particularly to an improved water spray nozzle construction for distributing a rectangular spray of water in a wide angle to cover a selected rectangular area of the upper foraminous surface of a foraminous gas and liquid contact body in the tower in a relatively homogeneous spray.

In the construction of gas and liquid contact apparatus, such as water cooling towers, a foraminous cellular fill is emplaced within a housing, such fill comprising cellular surfaces close spaced per unit volume as to provide pores or spaces providing as large surface contact area as practicable. Such cellular iill is sprayed upon its top surface and the liquid is owed downward through the cellular body, forming a thin liquid lm as it flows vertically downward in cooling contact with a cross or, more usually, an upward ilow of air, which by evaporation reduces the water temperatures. Such surfaces may be in the form of honeycomb structures assembled of plain and corrugated sheets, close corrugated sine-waved or of other common configurations, whereby the sheets are close spaced to form such cellular iill of large surface area.

A critical problem for such cellular ll structures is to distribute the water over the top of the cellular ll in great uniformity, whereby the water flows evenly downwardly in films of even thickness to coat all of the large body surfaces with such water lm, flowing continuously in flowing-air contact, eiciently and uniformly.

Moreover, in the practice of such typical gas and liquid contact apparatus, it is usual for manufacturers to provide elaborate systems of liquid supply piping, from which are depended numerous close-spaced, small-capacity nozzles. Such piping usually is an expensive gridwork of metal disposed to permit placing of numerous nozzles positioned about 6 to 8 inches apart, each providing a hollow conical spray, often overlapping with neighboring nozzle sprays, and usually requiring many hundreds of such nozzles to provide the liquid ow over often larger upper ll surface areas. This Aapparent requirement for closely-spaced nozzles has been uneconomic because of the impractical need for so many nozzles, running into several thousands by their need for support by an elaborate liquid piping distribution and/ or manifolding system. Nevertheless, the greatest economy has been in lling very large towers with cellular fill, even as much as an acre, sometimes Cil ice

more, in cross-sectional area, to effect the gas and liquid contact, particularly in water cooling towers.

In ythe prior art such nozzles provide hollow cone sprays, each dispensing the water in an annular ring over the top of the ll, whereby even the meeting of each cellular nozzle spray tangentially provides unwetted areas at the center of the spray and overlappingly sprayed areas at the outside of the juncture of several tangential circles of spray upon the top of cellular filled portions of the tower. That is, some areas reeive no spray and others receive an excessive quantity from a large number of nozzles.

According to the present invention a nozzle of unique construction is provided, solving several of these problems. One outstanding feature of the nozzles hereof is that each may cover many times, even as much as fifty times, the spray area formerly supplied by as many nozzles. That is, the capacity of a single nozzle hereof is incomparably increased with respect to the prior art structures. A further feature is that the present nozzles produce a solid spray which is relatively homogeneous in water content throughout its body, in contrast to a hollow spray, according to prior art nozzles, so that each portion of a spray body as emitted from la single nozzle, has a relatively equal quantity of water in a more homogeneous distribution pattern of its droplets comprising the spray, in comparison to other nozzles. Thus, more simply, the nozzle hereof provides a more highly uniform water ow upon equal area rectangular increments of the top surface of the cellular fill.

A further feature of the present nozle is that it dispenses the water in a desirable rectangular spray, greatly exceeding the area, commonly double that of the prior art nozzles. The aspect ratio of such rectangular spray may be varied as desired; such as 1:1, length to width of the area sprayed from a central nozzle orifice, up to about 1.3:1. The included angle or spread of the spray cone with respect to the central axis of the nozzle, ranges from about to 150, more usually and preferably from 115 to 140. A major effect thereof is to allow the nozzle to be much more closely spaced from the top surface of the cellular fill, thereby greatly improving the structural economy in forming a more compact gas and liquid contact apparatus such as a water cooler.

A final feature is that this uniform water spray may be applied at low pressures of 3 to 5 pounds (psig.) in considerable contrast to smaller nozzles usually needing 7 to 35 pounds or more per square inch of nozzle pressure to effect the same water volume spray, an obvious economy in the reduction of water pumping capacity needs and consequent costs for operation of the water cooler.

According to the present invention, therefore, a nozzle is developed having several novel features, outstanding of which is that each may provide a large, reliably rectangular spray, whereby to cover a lixed top surface area of a cellular ll, usually corrugated asbestos sheets, so that fewer, usually a small fraction of the number of spray nozzles are needed for the same spray job. Moreover, these nozzles are operative at lower pressure, but will still adequately wet the top surfaces of the cellular ll. The nozzles can provide a variable spray pattern in aspect ratio of between 1.3:1 and 1:1. Characteristic of the nozzle is a large angle lip with any selected outer contour variable from square or rectangular to square, circular or even irregularly curved. Such wide angle is shown in the angle alpha between dotted lines A and B in FIG. 4. The alpha angle usually exceeds 45, and typically ranges from 45 to 75. Such large angle is provided for each lip with respect to the vertically disposed nozzle orifice, whereby the nozzle is of generally shorter length, stubby in elevation, and thereby allows the manifold and nozzles dependent therefrom to be supported closer to the top surface of the cellular tower fill, allowing great economy in structural space for the same cooling capacity.

Moreover, the wide angle rectangular spray produced by the present nozzles allows homogeneous wetting of a large rectangular to square space, despite close positioning to the area, each nozzle covering relatively large surface areas in such pattern, whereby only a comparatively few nozzles are needed for the same spray job to substantially homogeneously wet the top of the fill, in important contrast to normal water tower cooling construction.

In another important aspect of the present invention, the nozzle may be formed of easily-molded plastic to accommodate a select bottom lip pattern of unusual convolutitons and undulations disposed in the bottom surface of the rectangular distribtion lip. The nozzles are provided with a water rotor to impart twisting, rotating or gyrating motion to the water, dividing the Water, whereby a central portion only passes vertically therethrough.

The nozzles hereof are preferably provided with a securing lug for quick twist assembly such as in a bayonet joint form, depending for easily fastened support in a depending sleeve of the manifolding, whereby each nozzle hereof is quickly and easily replaced in case of a failure of any character or in case it becomes desirable to vary the nozzle capacity, as will appear.

The nozzle is also constructed with a replaceable orifice whereby the critically-sized orifice may be selected for each spray job. Accordingly, it is an obejct hereof to produce a nozzle and a manifold useful in gas and liquid contact constructitons, particularly `for combination with a water cooling tower for easy assembly therein, and providing a rectangular, sometimes square, spray in a substantially homogeneous wide angle distribution from the nozzle orifice.

Other objects are in the advantages described above and as will be inherent in the description which follows, now made in conjunctiton with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates the large pipe or manifolding which needs only a relatively few nozzles as emplaced diagrammatically thereon and mounted to show the produced series of square spray patterns for each nozzle, and in dotted line comparison to typical prior art manifolding;

FIG. 2 shows an elevation of a spray nozzle as mounted in a sleeve depending from a portion of a manifold pipe, with parts broken away and in section to show internal construction;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a nozzle taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a detail illustrating the wide angle between the nozzle orifice and the lateral distribution lip in section, taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a detail illustrating a modification in section of an orifice insert emplaced in a nozzle of a larger orifice to allow a selectively reduced orifice size for accompanying a nozzle to a smaller quantity of water to be distributed thereby, the view being an elevation in section of the orifice area of the nozzle;

FIG. 6 shows a bottom view of a rectangular nozzle lip illustrating the undulations alternating with troughs of the nozzle lip, the undulatitons being spirally offset as shown in further detail in FIG. ll;

FIG. 7 illustrates in greater detail than FIG. 1 the distirbution in a rectangular spray pattern developed by several neighboring nozzles operating in combination to cover the top surface of a cellular fill;

FIG. 8 shows a crossesectional view including nozzle parts and the water rotor and, in further detail, the mounting of the nozzle in a sleeve;

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating vector forces upon the water stream passing through the nozzle;

FIG. 10 shows diagrammatically the distribution of the several vector forces upon Water as the water is emitted from the orice and spread centrifugally in contact with the lower nozzle lip surface;

FIG. l1 is a view of the bottom surface of the nozzle showing the actual distribution of forces in contact with the convolutions of the bottom surface for rectangular distribution of the emitted spray; and

FIG. 12 illustrates a modified tower arrangement wherein the ambient air passes horizontally across the porous vbody for cooling contact with the water flowing downward, the air entering at one side and being withdrawn at an opposite side of the tower. I

Referring `first to FIG. 7, a cooling tower for which the present nozzle is designed for use, comprises a generally large casing or housing (not shown) having numerous usually asbestos corrugated sheets separated by fiat sheets 12 comprising the cellular fill, supported in the central lower portion of the tower. Manifolding piping 30 interconnected to smaller pipes 32, supporting evenly spaced nozzles 34 is mounted above the sheets 12 for downward spray of water upon the assembled body of corrugated sheets. Ambient air is drawn inward and upward such as through lower inlet louvres (not shown) disposed in the lower part of the cooling tower and impelled by a blower 26 which allows ambient air to enter in a forced entering draft below the corrugated sheet body 12 and pass upward through the corrugations in the sheets 12, contacting the continuous downward thin film of water flowing upon the cellular film, supplied by the water sprayed from the nozzles 34. The air is flowed out of the tower through an outlet, usually mounted in the upper part, and the cooled water is collected at the bottom of the tower and is withdrawn for use as such by pipes and pumps (not shown).

The operation will be understood by those skilled in the art to be a continuous cooling by evaporative contact of the water films flowing downward through the celludar fill 12 with ambient air entering the lower louvres and passing upward in the direction of the arrow X against a continuous flow of films downstream formed by the spray of water continuously provided by the bank of nozzles 16 over the top of the corrugated sheets 12, the descending water being cooled in countercurrent evaporative Washing contact with the air. The air, usually after trapping suspended liquid droplets, is then expelled from an upper outlet (not shown).

Referring to FIG. l2, a cross-type cooling tower is illustrated as a modification in which the water sprayed through nozzle 16 supplied from manifolding 14 wets the top of a cellular fill 13, as described above for FIG. 7. The water flowing downward therethrough in a series of thin films collecting at the bottom 15, is similarly withdrawn as cooled water through a line 17 and a pump 19. FIG. l2, however, in contrast to the structure of FIG. 7, has the air enter in the direction of the arrows 21 from a side of the cooling tower, and it passes through the porous cellular fill in similar cooling contact with the numerous films of Water passing downward, but the air passes horizontally through the porous body 13 and is withdrawn from an opposite side outlet 23, mpelled by a blower 2S. It will be seen that although air passes across the porous body rather than in upward countercurrent flow, the principal of cooling the water of both FIGS. 7 and l2 are generally similar.

Referring now to FIG. l, the usual numerous nozzles 16 of FIGS. 7 or 12 were usually, in prior art practice, placed in the manifolding 14, according to the dotted line figure shown at the top of FIG. 1, whereby very many small nozzles sprayed haphazardly to cover the entire top of the corrugated sheets 12 in numerous hollow cone overlapping sprays. In operation, beyond the costly and uneconomic duplication of overlapping sprays, the orifice holes in the nozzles are of necessity small, being only three-eighths of an inch or less in diameter. These small holes frequently plug or clog with bits of leaves, wood, paper and other materials which get through the strainers. This reduces the performance of the tower and necessitates labor to inspect, remove and clean numerous small nozzles, usually with a need for pipe wrenches or other tools, the work being carried out in difficult or sometimes inaccessible and cramped quarters.

According to the present invention, the manifolding with branch arms 32 has fewer nozzles 34 mounted thereon, perhaps no more than one-tenth to one-fiftieth as many, which supply a better spray evenly covering the cellular ll in a greater total area and providing evenly flowing films, more than was accomplished by the numerosu small nozzles illustrated in the dotted background line position constructed of FIG. 1.

Each of the present nozzles 34, it will be noted, is centrally located, depending from the manifold pipe branch arms 32 in a square area portion 36, shown in dotted line subdivisions, one for each nozzle. The present nozzles 34, as will appear, are constructed to cast a rectangular spray, each supported and oriented to evenly cover a desired rectangular, for example, square area 36, varying in total sprayed area only according to the nozzle design dimensions, and each nozzle is mounted close to the top of the corrugated sheets 12 for compact construction of manifolding placed immediately above the sheets 12, as shown in FIG. 7. For example, the present nozzles may be designed to pass as much as 225 gallons of Water per minute, compared with 12/3 to 3 gallons per minute in the current state of the art, and at lower pumping pressures. Hence, the present fewer nozzles preferably are supported close above the surface areas to be wetted in a group of rectangular patterns in an easy assembling and disassembling bayonet type joint on each nozzle, supported in a cooperative sleeve depending from the manifold as further shown in FIGS. 2 and 8.

Referring to FIG. 2, each water supply manifold pipe branch arm 32 is bored at selected positions and into which is close-fitted a sleeve 38, preferably permanently welded thereto by a filet or otherwise rigidly xed therein in the manifold pipe in a fluid-tight manner, each to receive a nozzle 34. The sleeve 38 is slotted in the dotted line portion 42 to receive a fastening lug 44 later ally extending from the upper wall of the nozzle for quick fastening and securing of the upper end 46 of the nozzle 34 in the sleeve 38, whereby the nozzle end 46 merely needs to have aligned slot 42 to coincide with the position of the lug 44 and moved vertically upward of the lug 44 in the slot 42, and twisted for each secure and quick fastening assembly, as will be understood for assembling of a simple bayonet joint. Other quick fastening assembly fastener construction may be substituted for easy securing of a nozzle in a sleeve.

The upper outer wall 46 of the nozzle end is closetted in the sleeve 38 for easy sliding assembly without sufficient clearance to provide any significant water leakage or loss between the sleeve and nozzle Wall.

A water swirler 50 is mounted for inserting into the cylindrical body of the nozzle, being supported upon a shoulder 48 in the nozzle wall. The swirler 50 has four inclined slots or ducts 52 leading water downward from the top of the nozzle to the lower inner body area 56 above the top of the nozzle to the lower inner body area 56 above the orifice 54, such dutcs being inclined to impart a rapid rotary swirling motion to the water in downward passage through the nozzle whereby the water has a rapid rotating motion imparted at a substantial rate as it enters the ante-chamber 56 ready for further passage downward through the orifice 54, rotating as it descends for normal conversion by the orifice 54 into a swirling spray. Since the water has a substantial rotary motion imparted by the swirling device 50, it will tend centrifugally to bear against the outer walls of the nozzle as it passes through the orice 54 and will press and follow outward the contoured lip walls 58 at the bottom of the nozzle, and be expelled in a spray at the said wide angle in a rectangular pattern, following the shape and direction imparted by the lip walls 58.

According to the present invention the bottom lip walls are formed with undulations 60, alternating with troughs 62, as shown in the bottom View of FIG. 6. The warped surfaces formed by the undulations and troughs 60 and 62, however, are spaced, streamlined andspirally offset, not only to distribute the spray in a wide angle as desired, preferably between and 150 with respect to the vertical orifice 54, lbut will also distribute the spray in a rectangular, for instance, a square pattern, substantially evenly wetting the entire surface of the projected square area. Moreover, it will be noted that the undulations 60 and troughs 62 are spirally offset with respect either to an A, B or C axis of which the vertical axis of the nozzle is A, the spiral offset being dimensioned to accommodate in streamlined fashion the swirling motion of the water to deflect it downward and outward in a square pattern. Accordingly, the bottom lip of this nozzle has undulations and troughs disposed spirally in the directions of the rotation of the water imparted by the swirling elements to lead the water through offset undulations and troughs to a substantially homogeneous spray, evenly over a square section immediately below the position of the nozzle.

In order to better understand this invention it is useful to understand the manner in which the hydrodynamic forces are manipulated to cause a small and momentarily round jet of water to be dispersed with great uniformity over all portions of a large square or rectangular area. FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the nozzle parts and the water passages therethrough. Water from the distributing header 32 enters area 49 and passes downwardly through the center hole 51 and the inclined passageways 52 located in spinner disc 50. Water in chamber 56 thus rotates at high speed in the outer part of the body and travels vertically downward at the center 51 of the jet. As the water passes through the nozzle orifice 54 it is rotating at a predetermined speed and the centrifugal force immediately causes the jet to expand as soon as the jet passes the vertical section of the nozzle throat 54.

If we consider a particle of water as it passes through the throat or orifice section 54, it is subjected to a downward force (b) as shown in FIG. 9 and a centrifugal force (a). The force (b) is a combination of the intermediate pressure existing in swirl chamber 56 plus the gravitational head. Centrifugal force (a) is imparted entirely by the spinner action on the liquid of the inclined slots 52. Vector (c) is the resultant force on the water and shows the path of the water particle as it leaves the surface of the nozzle at the nozzle lip 58, FIGS. 2 and 8.

A principle of this invention lies in the controlled application of these forces and the manipulating of their relative magnitudes. If the nozzle opening 54 is very large, it is conceivable that all of the pressure drop will take place in the spinner 50. A disproportionately large nozzle throat 54, however, results in such low velocities that it may be hard to get the desired distribution. Likewise, if the orifice opening 54 is too small, most of the pressure drop will occur across this opening 54 and the resulting discharge velocity will be so high with respect to the centrifugal force vector (e) that the sprayed water will not give the desired spray angle. By keeping force (b) small in relation to the centrifugal force (a), the resultant force (c) permits a very wide spread on the spray. It is entirely practical to adjust these forces to get an included angle on the actual spray of (70 from centerline (b) each way), something which has not been previously accomplished.

It is necessary, however, to vary the angle of discharge of the spray, continuously modifying it around the circumference of the circular jet in order that the water can actually cover a square or rectangular area. Referring to FIG. 10, a nozzle is located at point Z above the centerline above point Y, FIG. illustrating digrammatically only one half of the area to be sprayed. It is desired to spray water uniformly all along the square boundary line X. The water that leaves Z headed for point X1 should make an angle with the cellular fill surface as indicated by angle A (the angle formed between lines Xl-Z and Xl-Y). If the nozzle height Z above the pack (ZY is to be kept down to a desirably low level, the resulting angels A, B, C, D, E for example could measure:

E '72 D 68 C 66 B 68 A 72 The curvature of surface 58 in FIG. 8 is calculated so that a tangent thereto will aproximate the slope of the lines forming the top 'boundaries of angles A, B, C, D and E.

However, since the water is rotating rapidly as it comes through the round orifice, the centrifugal force is throwing the rotating water in such a way that substantial corrections are necessary to cause the water to fall uniformly along boundary line X1 to X5. This can be understood by reference to FIG. 11. FIG. 1l is FIG.1O turned upsiledown with the profile of the nozzle face indicated by undulations and troughs 60 and 62. In order to direct a portion of the water mass towards point X1 in FIG, 1l, the spinning water travels from point 170 up over the contoured surface to point 260 where it is no longer under control. It Iwill be noted that point 170 by rotation of the water is rotated almost 90 from point X1 for which this water is destined. Water destined for area X2 travels over a warped surface extending from point 180 to point 250. The tangent to this surface must be different from the tangent used in constructing the area 170 to 260 because angle D (FIG. 10) is different from angle E. This situation continues progressively through one quadrant or one quarter of the nozzle lip circumference.

From FIG. 11 it will be seen that the exterior profile of the nozzle may be square, circular, or a modified square. This can be illustrated by considering the nozzle quadrant extending from 130 to 140. The actual section from 130 to 140 on the side is the vertical surface of a cylinder; and, if used on all four quadrants, would give a circular nozzle face. The important thing is to control the contour of the bottom lip surface for long enough portion to establish the desired tangent-such as line 100 in FIG. 8. Once this desired surface curvature has been established, the nozzle surface itself can continue outwardly and terminate in any shape of nozzle face-round, square, oval, or irregular-so long as the edge of the surface does not in any way interfere with the discharged water particles after they have traveled over the properly contoured bottom lip 60. It is for that reason that surface 270 is shown when a round profile is used on the nozzle face. The bottom fiat surface 270 is completely inoperative and has nothing to do with the flow of the water. Similarly, corner 150 could be rounded and fiat areas such as at point 240 can be removed as shown adjacent to points 150 and 160; or points 230 and 220 can be curved as at 280.

While the idea of using spinners is an old art, nozzle designers did not understand the manner in which the spinning forces could be utilized in a precisely engineered manner. With this invention it is obvious that water issuing from a round hole can be caused to fiow in such a way that the rotating water jet will distribute itself uniyformly even over the surface of a rectangle where the aspect ratio may be as much as 1.3 tol.

It is possible, of course, to vary the quantity and pressure of the water, as well as the size of the orifice, to provide a homogeneous spray for larger or smaller square areas disposed beneath the nozzle as it is mounted upon the manifolding. The size of the square area is accommodated by mounting of the nozzle at a proper height above the corrugated sheets. Accommodation of a larger square area therebeneath is possible with mounting of the nozzle at a higher vertical point above the area to be sprayed. Nevertheless, in a modification shown in FIG. 5, a nozzle insert 66 is provided Which has a smaller orifice `64 and thereby allows for easy modification of any single nozzle construction by merely inserting selectively sized orifices of smaller, controlled size to accommodate more economically a selected variation in the size of the nozzle, merely requiring inserting a new orifice ring -66 into the orifice 54 for reduction of its size to a smaller orifice 64, as desired.

Thus this invention provides a nozzle having an orifice surrounded by a laterally extending lip having a wide angle between and 150; as set forth above, the under portion of which is shaped to provide undulations and troughs streamlined to be tangent in curvature, a line from the orifice to the point of wetting Contact with the cellular fill, while accommodating the spiral motion as it biases the orifice. The lower face of the nozzle lip therefore comprises undulations and troughs resulting from the variation in the lower surface to approximate the illustrated diagram of forces.

Moreover, the device hereof is modified for easy selection of a proper orifice area. It may be constructed to be of relatively short or stubby height for easy twist mounting and demounting from a manifold position low or close to the top of corrugated sheet walls, whereby to allow great economy of space above the manifolding and to provide easy replacement of nozzles; easy modification of orifice size thereof; and far fewer nozzles to perform the same air cooling job.

While the present nozzle may be made of various materials, it is contemplated that it will be formed by casting of substantially strong materials, preferably ceramic or plastic, but it may also be formed of cast metal.

While the exemplary description herein and preferred use has been as a nozzle for cooling water by close spray upon a cellular fill, it will be apparent that the present nozzle can be used to spray liquid in various gas and liquid contact apparatus. For instance, it may be a primary purpose to impregnate the gas with the liquid, such as in a petroleum absorber or other chemical absorptions. It may be a primary purpose to cool the gas in contact with the evaporated liquid -for that benefit and the like. Hence, while the purpose is primarily to cool water as a water cooling tower, such other gas and liquid applications may find use with the present nozzle construction.

Certain modifications will occur to those skilled in the art and, accordingly, it is intended that the description and drawings hereof be regarded as illustrative and not limiting except as defined in claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. A spray nozzle comprising an orifice faired to a wide angle outlet lip and spinner means in the body of said nozzle above said orifice for imparting a rotary motion to the liquid passing through said nozzle, the lower surface of said outer lip having undulations alternating with troughs disposed in streamline flow from said orifice to the outer portions of said lip, constraining the liquid spray to substantially homogeneously cover a rectangular area.

2. The spray nozzle as defined in claim 1 wherein the said lip is curved outward from the nozzle orifice to provide a spray spread of an angle with said orifice in the range of about 90 to 150.

3. The spray nozzle as defined in claim 1 wherein said undulations and troughs are spirally offset from said oriice to accommodate the spiral motion of fluid leaving said orifice, and substantially tangential to a line between the rectangular spray area and the nozzle orifice to distribute the same outwardly from said orifice in a relatively homogeneous rectangular spray pattern.

4. The spray nozzle as defined in claim 1 wherein said undulations and troughs are spirally offset from said orifice to accommodate the spiral motion of fiuid leaving said orifice to distribute the same outwardly in a relatively homogeneously rectangular spray pattern, and substantially tangential to a line between the rectangular spray area and the nozzle orifice and said lip extends in streamline flow from said orifice at an angle to provide a rectangular spray of 90 to 150 with respect to said orifice.

5. The spray nozzle as defined in claim 1, wherein said nozzle comprises walls enclosing a chamber, and said spinner means has a central bore and is mounted in said chamber above said orice to distribute a substantial portion of water relatively downward and a substantial portion in a rotary swirl as a homogeneous spray as emitted from said orifice and outlet lip upon said rectangular area.

6. The spray nozzle as defined in claim 5 wherein said lower lip is flared laterally into a substantially rectangular shape, the undulations and troughs on the underside thereof being disposed in streamline flow from said orifice to the outer perimeter of said lip, and substantially tangential to a line between the rectangular spray area and the nozzle orifice, said undulations and troughs being spirally offset from said orifice to accommodate the spiral motion of fluid leaving said orifice to distribute the same outwardly from said orifice in a relatively homogeneously rectangular spray pattern, said lip extending in streamline flow from said orifice to produce a rectangular spray of about 90 to 150 spread angle with respect to said orifice, and means for quick fastening said nozzle to a liquid supply manifold.

7. In a gas and liquid contact apparatus, a housing enclosing and supporting a foraminous body including means for passing gas through said foraminous body for cooling contact with wet surfaces thereof and a sprinkler system for spraying liquid to cover and continuously wet said foraminous body in downward liquid ow in contact with said gas, said sprinkler system comprising manifolding overlying said foraminous body, quick fastening, supporting and orienting means depending from said manifolding and spaced into an even pattern above said foraminous body, a spray nozzle enclosing a chamber having an upper inlet and a lower outlet orice, means in said chamber for imparting swirling motion to liquid passing from said inlet to said outlet, the lower orifice beingV faired to a flaring outlet lip, the lower surface of said outlet lip having undulations alternating with troughs constraining the liquid spray to substantially homogeneously cover a rectangular spray area upon said foraminous body, said nozzles having quick fastening means cooperative with said manifold support means for support of said nozzles thereof in spraying position, said cooperative quick fastening means being oriented to support each nozzle to wet consecutive rectangular patterns over the entire surface of said foraminous body.

8. The combination as defined in claim 7 wherein the nozzle comprises an orifice faired to a flared outlet lip means in the body of said nozzle above said orifice for imparting a rotary motion to the liquid passing downward through said nozzle, the lower surface of said flared lip having undulations alternating with troughs disposed in streamline flow from said orifice to the outer portions of the square lip, substantially tangential to a line between the rectangular spray area and the nozzle orifice, said undulations and troughs being spirally offset from said orifice to accommodate the spiral motion of uid leaving said orifice to distribute the same outwardly from said orifice in a relatively homogeneous rectangular spray pattern.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein each of said nozzles enclose a chamber having an upper inlet and lower outlet orifice, means in said chamber for imparting swirling motion to liquid passing from said inlet to said outlet, the lower orifice being faired to a fiaring outlet lip, the lower surface of said outlet lip having undulations alternating with troughs disposed in streamline fiow from said outlet orifice to the outer portions of said lip, constraining the liquid spray to substantially homogeneously cover a rectangular area.

10. A spray nozzle comprising an orifice faired to a substantially horizontal outlet lip of rectangular configuration, the lower surface of said outlet lip having undulations alternating With troughs faired tangent to lines from the outer rectangular boundary of the spray pattern to the orifice and means for rotating the liquid before passage through said orifice.

11. The spray nozzle as defined in claim 10 wherein the nozzle has means in its body for imparting rotary motion to the liquid passing therethrough, said alternate undulations and troughs being disposed in streamline fiow from said orifice to accommodate the spiral rotary motion of fluid leaving said orifice, and distributing the same outwardly from said orifice in a relatively homogeneous rectangular spray pattern at an angle from to with respect to the axis of said nozzle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 889,424 6/ 1908 Adams. 1,549,858 8/1925 Evans 222-568 2,305,210 12/ 1942 Wahlin.

3,039,749 6/1962 Kohletol 261-112 3,072,346 1/1963 Wahlin et al. 239-463 X FOREIGN PATENTS 250,105 2/ 1962 Australia.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner 

